


The Fire's Warmer With a Friend

by hypersugarroxy



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, F/F, Fluff, Human Names Used, Winter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-10
Updated: 2015-01-10
Packaged: 2018-03-06 23:11:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3151832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hypersugarroxy/pseuds/hypersugarroxy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been a long wintery day. Two old ladies have a warm moment.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Fire's Warmer With a Friend

**Author's Note:**

> previously untitled work on tumblr

"Have I told you how much I hate snow?" Alice grumbled, taking off her soggy gloves and kicking the white chill from her boots.

"You may have mentioned it once or twice," Noelle muttered, trying not to let on how irritated she was with Alice’s incessant complaining all that afternoon.

"Well, it still stands."

"Of course it does, dear," Noelle made her way toward the kitchen, ignoring Alice’s yelling behind her of the puddle the two left in the hallway.

Alice flopped into a chair and searched for a book of some kind within arms’ reach. Upon finding none, she attempted to pick herself up from the chair and silently declared the single try unsuccessful.

"What are you doing in there, anyway?" she called to her wife, hearing clanking in the kitchen.

"Can nothing be a surprise with you?"

"You should know me better by now." Alice sat up in her chair and turned around to face the kitchen. She couldn’t see what Noelle was doing but she smelt the stove going. "Boiling something?"

"Hush. I’ll show you when it’s done."

Alice pushed herself to her feet. “Sit,” Noelle called.

"I’m not coming, I’m just looking for matches."

"Matches?"

"You know what matches are." Alice fished around in a junk drawer until she procured an almost-empty matchbox. She knelt at their small fireplace and started striking. Why she didn’t think to do this first, she had no idea. It took her two matches but she finally managed to start their old log on fire. 

It warmed her, surely, but also in a special way, an internal way. They didn’t light the fire that often. They only seemed to light it for certain occasions.

They lit it on their first Christmas as roommates, and their first Christmas as girlfriends. Their first as wives. They’d definitely given it a lot of thought the winter they were both pregnant. And again on their daughters’ first christmas. Which reminded Alice:

"When are we going to pick the girls up tomorrow?" Alice called, turning off the light.

"You don’t have to shout, I’m right here," Noelle said, brushing Alice’s arm to get her attention. She handed her a mug. It didn’t smell like the usual coffee.

"Did you make a mocha?"

"Actually it’s just chocolate. I picked some up the other day. I was going to wait until Madeleine and Amelie` came home, but I think we’ve had a long enough day to deserve this."

Alice took a sip and grimaced. Noelle frowned.

"It’s a little bitter; I’ll go fix it."

"You always liked your drinks too sweet, mon cherie.”

"Perhaps," Alice said absently, adding sugar to her cup.

"When was the last time we lit the fire?"

"I can’t remember, but the flue is overdue for a cleaning."

"So I see."

"You haven’t answered my question," Alice said, sitting on the couch with Noelle, leaning her head on her wife’s collarbone.

"Which one would that be?"

"When are we picking up the girls? And…whoever they brought home with them?"

Noelle frowned, mouth around the rim of her cup. “Who’s bringing home who?” she asked into the cup.

"I thought the girls were each seeing someone? And it wouldn’t be the first time Amelia has brought someone home without telling me."

"Oh." Noelle finished her sip. "Well, we can entertain, right?"

"Wasn’t planning on it."

"If they bring people home, it’s important to them."

"I suppose."

"Imagine if your mother hadn’t let you bring me home for a holiday."

Alice side-eyed Noelle. “She didn’t.”

"Exactly. And you haven’t been over since. Does she even know she has granddaughters?"

"I’m sure I wrote to her once or twice & mentioned them."

"I don’t know about you but I’d like to know my grandchildren."

"Well, then. You entertain. I’m taking a break.” Alice sipped her drink slowly, letting it fill her with warmth. 

"Are they even coming at the same time?" Noelle asked.

"I was actually hoping Amelia would call me about it."

Noelle rubbed Alice’s arm. “Madeleine’s picking up a strange accent.”

"Is she."

"Doesn’t she talk to you?"

"Not as often as you. Amelia doesn’t, either. She’s a texter. Irritates me.”

"I was hoping studying away wouldn’t take her accent like the move here took mine."

"You still have it. Just not as strong."

"It became English. I don’t like it."

"It’s still obvious where you’re from."

"And you don’t like it?" Noelle teased. Alice felt herself blush. They both knew Alice liked it. Every time Noelle went across the channel for a visit she refreshed her accent after using her mother tongue and Alice, for all her efforts, wasn’t very good at hiding what it did to her.

"I think we both know the answer to that one, dear." Alice shifted herself, pushing her head under Noelle’s chin.

"I can’t drink like this," Noelle mumbled.

"I’m not moving." Noelle sighed and put her mug on the seat next to her. She took Alice’s out of her hands and placed them both on the floor.

"Hey," Alice protested.

“‘Hey’ yourself.” Noelle wrapped her arms around her wife and pulled her up to her hip, curling her feet on the couch. Alice furrowed her brow but allowed it to happen. She wriggled an arm free, removed her glasses and tossed them on the coffee table.

"Hey," Alice said softly, like a greeting. Noelle rested her head on Alice’s. "Last night to ourselves for a little while. What do we do?"

Noelle grabbed Alice’s hand and rested in on Alice’s lap. “I’m alright here.”

They let the fire burn out and next thing they both knew the sun had risen in the overcast sky.


End file.
